Couple's Secrets: Love comes second time around via tae kwon do

"The same passion for health and wellness that caused us to meet," Mary Ellen McIntire says, "is a strong force in our relationship today."

Mary Ellen, 53, is a staff physician with the new Doctors Express in East Memphis. Husband Vince Yasay, 54, is a FedEx pilot. They met in 2001 in a martial arts class she was teaching, and married Oct. 11, 2007.

Mary Ellen: The timing was right. It's a second marriage for both of us, and we wanted to wait until the boys were older. We're so proud of our kids -- five between us. (Sherry Yasay, 30, of Barcelona, Spain, and Ashley Yasay, 25, of Phoenix, Ariz.; Philip McIntire, 22, of New York City; Thomas McIntire, 21, a senior at the University of Memphis; and Madeline McIntire, 16, a student at Hutchison.)

Was your relationship a slow evolution or a thunderbolt?

Mary Ellen: I would say thunderbolt. He was much more experienced in the field of martial arts.

Vince: I studied martial arts since I was a kid, so when I saw they were starting a tae kwon do class, I went, she was there, and she was teaching. I went to get myself a workout, and that's how we met. Oh, and let me get a plug in for Mary Ellen: She's the best doctor I know. She's fixed me up many a time, from back pain to eye infection.

Why was a doctor teaching tae kwon do?

Mary Ellen: I had moved to Memphis as a senior at Bartlett High. My dad retired from the Air Force. I went to University of Memphis (graduated 1981) and the University of Tennessee College of Medicine (now UT Health Science Center). I moved back to Memphis in 2000. While I was waiting for my medical license, I taught lots of martial arts classes. One of the classes was at FedEx Fitness Center.

What drew you to each other?

Mary Ellen: I was immediately attracted to his style, his technique, his persona, but I tried to remain like I wasn't. The next time after class, he left the fitness center dressed in his pilot suit, and I would say that is exactly what did it. Talk about a man in uniform!

Vince: I was obviously physically attracted to her. She's a very pretty lady with blue eyes -- her blue eyes got my attention. And it was her strength -- physical and her mental strength. She just kind of molded me or guided me.

What do you mean?

Vince: There were times I tried to shake her off, but I couldn't. She was right there. She is just kind of tenacious. In fact, that was her nickname in the martial arts, Tenacious Tiger.

And what is yours?

Vince: Flying Tiger. I got that nickname many years before ever knowing that I would be hired by Flying Tigers. I was with Flying Tigers only for one year before they (Flying Tigers and FedEx) merged.

What makes you special to one another?

Vince: We're a very good, really close match for each other. Most of the time I just kind of sit back and basically let Mary Ellen run the show as far as our relationship goes. Sometimes I feel like I need to step in and provide some male leadership, particularly in the family situation with the kids.

Mary Ellen: He has an ability to remain calm during stressful periods, and that calm, assertive nature, that attracted me -- that strong figure of authority that commands respect.

So you've taught martial arts together, and gotten the family involved.

Vince: All the kids took martial arts with me; they all earned their black belts with me. As a family, we have that bond.

Mary Ellen: Martial arts provides something fun we can do together on a regular basis. It's such a great way to keep a relationship healthy. We don't think people should ever stop playing.